Saturday, July 22, 2017

First Two Women On Track to Become Navy SEAL Officers

President John F. Kennedy founded Navy SEAL teams in 1962, but this is the first time females have applied to become Navy SEALs. Two women have recently become the first female candidates to make it this far in the process.Historical event

Although their identities have been kept secret, one woman is already on track to be a SEAL officer, and another is on the path to becoming a special warfare combatant crewman, according to information reported by NPR. There are no special privileges for women in the program; they must complete the same training that men do with no allowances for differences in physical capabilities. The women must successfully complete the training the same as men before they can actually become SEALs.

Not everyone happy with decision

It was in December 2015 that Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter announced the decision to open all combat jobs in the United States military to women. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, now the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, resisted the idea and was the only one to request the ability to make exceptions to the new rule. However, Defense Secretary Carter replied that there would be no exceptions.

Although the Navy is ahead of other military branches in integrating women into key military combat positions, it most likely will be just a matter of time until other branches of the military make similar decisions regarding women in the military.